This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for the planting of seedlings, particularly seedling trees.
Canadian Pat. No. 985,573 issued Mar. 16th, 1976 relates to a seedling planter apparatus which may be trailed behind a tractor or other towing vehicle and which may be operated by one man as during the course of a reforestation of other similar project. This apparatus includes a mobile frame adapted to travel over the ground with an arm being pivotally mounted to the frame and extending rearwardly from the mounting location. A dibble is carried by the free end of the arm which is adapted to cut into the ground when the arm is urged toward the ground by a hydraulic actuator during forward travel of the frame. A seedling planter is carried by the arm rearwardly of the dibble and is constructed to support a seedling for planting in the cut made by the dibble. A dislodging mechanism is provided for dislodging seedlings from the dibble into the cut. The apparatus includes a detection device for activating the dislodging means when the predetermined depth has been reached. In the event that the dibble fails to achieve the predetermined depth due to an obstacle such as a rock or boulder, the seedling dislodging device is not activated.
An improved apparatus for planting seedlings is described in U.S. application Ser. No. 269,506 filed June 1, 1981, the disclosure of the U.S. application being incorporated herein by reference, with such patent application being assigned to the assignee of the present invention. This application describes an improved form of planting apparatus which incorporates the basic features of the planting apparatus described in Canadian Pat. No. 985,753 but which, in addition, includes means thereby to adapt the apparatus for the planting of containerized seedlings, i.e. seedlings which have been grown at the nursery in individual small containers. The use of containerized seedlings provides numerous advantages which need not be described here.
The seedling planters described in the above-noted Canadian patent and in the patent application were particularly designed for use under Boreal forest conditions. These conditions include terrain which is often very rough with large rocks or boulders often being disposed a short distance below the soil surface. While this type of equipment has proven to be very satisfactory in rugged boreal forest conditions, there exists a need for a seedling planter of a somewhat more lightweight construction especially adapted for use under more moderate conditions. Planting sites of this nature include reclaimed agricultural lands, cut-over regions with chopped light slash with the terrain comprising relatively flat or long rolling surfaces. Moderate soil conditions include glacial till including small stones and gravel, sandy soils and moderately heavy clay loams.